Control device for hoop toys



p 2, 1969 I L. R. BATTERSON ETAL 3,464,149

CONTROL DEVICE FOR HOOP TOYS Filed Feb. 8, 1968 LEROY 6. BA rrsnso/vROBERT 1.. an rrmsa/v lNl f N TORY A TTORNEVS Ultn'tedf State-1s- Patent3,464,149 CONTROL DEVICE FOR HOOP TOYS Leroy R. Batterson, 3420 S. 182mlPlace, Seattle, Wash. 98148, and Robert L. Batterson, 5581 N. Callisch,Fresno, Calif. 93726 Filed Feb. 8, 1968, Ser. No. 703,928 Int. Cl. A63h33/02 U.S. Cl. 46-114 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A controldevice for a hoop toy having an elongated control rod providing a handleend and an opposite hoop engaging end including hoop driving means andhoop centering means on said hoop engaging end of the control rod forrotatably driving the hoop in a substantially upright longitudinallyaligned attitude with respect to the control rod incident to theapplication of a pushing force against the handle end of the controlrod.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Hoop toys have long been popularly employedas amusement devices for their adaptability to being propelled inrolling engagement along the ground. This was initially accomplished byhand or with a paddle-type control stick. During use, the hoop would berotatably driven by the successive application of a force against thehoop in a direction substantially tangentially of its rearwardlydisposed upper periphery which resulted in a sporadic velocity ofrotation making control of the hoop difiicult. Directional turning ofthe hoop was accomplished by the frictional contact of the hand or stickso as to impose a force laterally against the hoop on its side oppositeto the direction of the desired turn. However, the maneuverability andthe duration of a particular sequence of operation was substantiallyshortened by the drag imposed upon the hoop by such frictionalcontrolling procedures. Consequently, it was virtually impossible tomaneuver the hoop with any degree of precision for executing evenrelatively simple circular patterns of hoop travel. Furthermore, it ishighly desirable that any movable toy produce some audible motorsimulating sound, particularly when such toys are used by smallchildren. Such sound has not been heretofore produced by theconventional hoop toys or their control devices.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of the presentinvention to provide an improved control device for hoop toys.

Another object is to provide such an improved control device which iscapable of afl'ording a continuously smooth driving force against thehoop.

Another object is to provide a control device of the character describedwhich enables precise maneuvering of the hoop under full driving force.

Another object is to provide a control device for a hoop toy whichutilizes a control rod capable of maintaining the hoop in optimumcentered upright relation with respect to the rod for maximum stabilityand control of the hoop during use.

Another object is to provide a control device for hoop toys whichaffords a substantially frictionless drive for engagement with thecontrol rod during use.

Another object is to provide a control device for hoop toys which iscapable of producing an audible motor simulating sound during use.

Another object is to provide a control device for hoop toys whichutilizes a roller in driving engagement with the hoop which has aplurality of peripherally extended 3,464,149 Patented Sept. 2, 1969 iceteeth and a sound producing member successively engageable with theteeth during rotation of the roller against the hoop.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become morefully apparent upon reference to the following description andaccompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERREDEMBODIMENT Referring more particularly to the drawing, a control deviceembodying the principles of the present invention is generally indicatedin FIG. 1 by the reference numeral 10. The control device is shown indriving and controlling relation to a hoop toy III which may be formedin any desired diameter, of any cross sectional configuration such asround, oval, square, or fiat, tubular or solid, and of any suitablesubstantially rigid lightweight material such as aluminum, hard plasticor the like.

The control device 10 provides an elongated hollow control rod 12constructed of a substantially rigid material similar to the material ofthe hoop. The control rod includes a handle end 14 and an opposite hoopengaging end 15. In order to insure proper gripping of the control rodby an operator, :a handle grip 17 is mounted on the handle end 14thereof.

The hoop engaging end 15 of the control rod 12 includes a pair ofoppositely spaced arcuate hoop centering legs 20 disposed in symmetricalcoplanar relation to the axis of the control rod. Each of the centeringlegs has an inner angularly related oifset end 22 which, as shown, maybe formed integrally with the hoop engaging end of the control rod orwhich alternatively may be secured thereto, by any suitable fastenermember. Each of the legs terminates in an outer end 23 which, by virtueof the arcuity of its respective leg, is axially outwardly disposed fromthe hoop engaging end 15 of the control rod. The inner ends 22 of thecentering legs 20 are laterally spaced to define therebetween a hoopreceiving notch 25.

An elongated, substantially rectangular arcuate cover plate 27 isprovided in the upper periphery of the control rod 12 in rearwardextension from the hoop receiving notch 25. The cover plate has aforward end 28 adjacent to the hoop receiving notch 25 and an oppositerearwardly disposed stepped end 29. The rearward end is disposed inintimate facing engagement with a shoulder 31 formed in the upperperiphery of the control rod screw-threadably to receive a locking screw32 therethrough for holding the cover in place.

An elongated cylindrical cog wheel or roller 35 is disposed within thehoop receiving notch 25 which has an outer peripheral portion 36recessed slightly within the notch from the outwardly forwardly disposedsurfaces of the hoop centering legs 20 and an opposite inner periphery37 radially extended into the interior of the control rod 12. The rollerhas means including a plurality of equally circumferentially spacedradially, peripherally disposed, extended teeth 38 which are rotatableabout an elongated axle shaft 40 providing opposite ends 42 individuallyextended into the opposite inner ends 22 of the hoop centering legs 20.

An elongated clapper mounting block 45 is disposed within the interiorof the control rod 12 closely adjacent to its hoop engaging end 15 andis secured to the lower inner periphery of the rod by a plurality ofmounting screws 46. The mounting block provides a downwardly disposedconnecting surface 47 which is in substantially coplanar relation withthe longitudinal axis of the control rod. The mounting block furtherincludes an intermediate recess 48 and a forwardly disposed lowerangularly related anvil or clapper striking surface 49 closely adjacentto the inner periphery of the roller 35.

An elongated clapper 50 is constructed of an elongated substantiallyflat strip of resiliently flexible material such as spring steel,plastic or the like, which has opposite forwardly and rearwardlydisposed ends 52 and 53, respectively. The rearward end of the clapperis secured to the rearward connecting surface 47 of the mounting blockby a plurality of mounting screws 54. The clapper is angularly bentintermediate its ends adjacent to the recess 48 Within the mountingblock and the forward end 52 thereof is disposed in overlying relationto the anvil striking surface 49 and in endwardly extended overlappingrelation with the teeth 38 at the inner periphery 37 of the roller 35.

OPERATION The operation of the described embodiment of the subjectinvention is believed to be clearly apparent and is briefly summarizedat this point. Prior to engagement with the control rod 12, the hoop 11is disposed in a substantially upright position and is provided aninitial rotating force or otherwise maintained in such upright positionby any suitable support. The handle grip 17 of the control rod isgrasped by the operator for precise manipulation of the hoop receivingend 15 thereof against the outer periphery of the hoop. The hoopengaging end is preferably disposed in a position somewhat below thehorizontal diameter of the hoop so that upon the application of apushing force on the handle end 14 of the control rod, the hoop isrotatably driven along the ground or other support surface.

The hoop is preferably disposed in coaxially aligned relation with thecontrol rod 12 with its outer periphery frictionally engaged with theouter toothed periphery 36 of the roller 35 which it drives. It will benoted, however, that if the hoop is initially engaged by one of the hoopcentering legs 20, the curvature of the legs will move the hooplaterally inwardly toward the hoop receiving notch 25 between the legsand into the desired driving engagement with the roller duringcontinuous application of the pushing force against the handle end 14 ofthe control rod 12. The hoop centering legs further permit the executionof relatively sharp turns of the hoop by appropriate manipulation of thehandle end of the control rod with the legs facilitating continuousengagement to maintain the hoop in the desired driving relation with thehoop engaging end of the control rod and to nreclude falling of thehoop.

During the described driving engagement of the outer periphery of thehoop 11 with the outer toothed periphery 36 of the roller 35, theclapper 50 is elfective to produce an audible motor emulating sound.With particular reference to FIG. 3 of the drawing, the roller is drivenin a counterclockwise direction as viewed with, the teeth 38 at theinner periphery 37 of the roller successively engaging the forward end52 of the clapper member 50.

During each engagement, the forward end of the clapper is flexed awayfrom the forward striking surface 49 of the mounting block 45. Uponrelease from the engaged tooth 38 during continued rotation of theroller 35, the forward end of the clapper is released for returnmovement in sharply slapping engagement against the striking surface 49and against the succeeding tooth of the roller with the striking surfaceproviding a sounding surface for producing an audible sound which issubstantially amplified through the interior of the hollow control rod.

In view of the foregoing, it is readily apparent that the structure ofthe present invention provides an improved control device for drivingand controlling a hoop toy. The hoop centering legs of the control rodminimize falling of the hoop from its desired substantially uprighttraveling position and permit the execution of intricate circularpatterns of hoop travel including figure eights and other multiplecircle configurations. Even with a minimum of use, the operator canattain a high degree of proficiency in executing such intricate patternsof hoop travel with the clapper member continually producing a motoremulating sound which is not obtainable with any structures heretoforeknown.

Although the invention has been herein shown and described in what isconceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, is isrecognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of theinvention.

Having described our invention, what we claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. A hoop rolling and controlling device comprising an elongated controlrod having a handle end and an opposite hoop engaging end, a rollermounted on the hoop engaging end of the rod for rotation about an axissubstantially normal to the length thereof in alignment therewithdisposed for driven engagement with a hoop rolled by the device wherebythe roller is rotated, said roller having means including peripherallydisposed teeth for engaging said hoop, and an elongated resilientlyflexible clapper mounted on the rod having a distal end disposed forengagement with the teeth of the roller whereby upon rotation of theroller the clapper is successively carried by said teeth to a stressedposition and released for resilient return whereby an auditory signal isproduced.

2. The device of claim 1 including an anvil mounted on the rod anddisposed for successive clapper engagement upon successive return of theclapper from stressed position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,103,030 7/1914 Cafferty 46-1141,764,982 6/1930 Reich et a1. 46-114 2,861,389 11/1958 Baker 46-1142,970,403 2/1961 Land 46-220 3,077,699 2/1963 Falciglia 46-114 3,078,6202/ 1963 Frye et a1. 46-220 3,123,937 3/1964 Pace 46-220 3,233,361 2/1966Conaghan 46-114 LOUIS G. MANCENE, Primary Examiner H. DINITZ, AssistantExaminer U.S. C1. X.R. 46-220

